Centerboard.



uni-724,217. PATENTED MAR. 31, 19pa-.. A. P. STOKES."

GENTERBOARD.

APPLIOATION FILED 001'. 20, 1902.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2 K0 MODEL.

Ansofz Phelasfiblz egllzv enfor Wil /leases.

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THE Mauls PETERS 00.. PHOTO'LIYHD WASHINGTON, 0. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

ANSON PHELPS STOKES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CENTERBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 724,217, dated March31, 1903. Application filedOctolier 20, 1902. Serial No. 127,921. (Nomodel.)

York, county and State of New York, have in- L vented certain new anduseful Improvements in Oenterboards, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying andforming part of the of the centerboard shifted as desired. To

same.

My invention relates to centerboards for: sailing vessels, and has forits object to prol vide means and mechanism for manipulating suchdevices with ease, safety, and precision.

I am aware that many attempts have been made heretofore to accomplishthis end; but

.ple, those caused by rough weather or heavy -seaswere also liable tobreak some of the operative parts of the same, while the comm'o-n deviceof lowering and raising the centerboard by means of a rope has beenfound inefficient and unsafe where large or metal centerboards are used.My invention, how- 'ever, is simple in construction, having few members,and is such that the parts may be made of any desired strength. At thesame 1 time it is easily manipulated and the opera- I tor has completecontrol of the centerboard.

\ from the outside.

at all times.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection showing an embodimentof my invention. Fig. 2 is a section online-2 2, :Fig. 3.; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, butshowing the centerboard in raised position.

Throughout the various figures, 1 indicates the centerboard-trunk, inwhich the centerboard 2, preferably of bronze, is pivoted at 3. On thepivoted or forward end of the centerboard is a segmental rack 4., outthrough the the segmental rack are two pinions 6 7, suit-.

ably journaled, bearing bevelgears 8 9, which latter mesh with similargears 10 on Sudj den strains on the mechanismas, for exam- 1 verticalshafts 11 12, having hand-wheels 13 14 on their upper ends. The shaftsor rods are preferably of bronze and so arranged that they may be raisedor lowered, thus throwing 'the bevel-gears into or out of engagement.volving the same-by means of hand-wheels the pinions will be rotated andthe position and pressure on the inner sides of the trunk are avoided,and the lower part of centerboard when down is more securely held inplace. In order to further brace or strengthen the ceuterboard, thepinions may be provided with flanges 17, of any desired strength,extending down over the segmental rack to hold the same. A grooved block18 may also .be used for the same purpose, placed between the pinions,with the rack moving in the groove. The axle is placed in position bydriving it through the keel and centerboard By mounting the centerboardfirmly on an axle or shaft which itself rotates in suitable bearings,most of the strain caused by lateral pressure on the centerboard, whichstrain in the old forms was supported by the trunk and much of it by theweakest part of the sides of the trunk, is in my invention transformedinto a vertical strain on the axle, which is carried by the keel and thestrong adjacent parts-that is, pressure on the centerboard is changedlargely to vertical pressure on the axle. This axle arrangement bymaking it possible to lower the centerboard much farther than in the oldforms permits a shorter centerboard to ,be'used to obtain the same orgreater exposed surface. It thus makes a better pivot for the vesseltogo about on and permits a shorter opening in By lowering the shafts andrethe bottom to be used, and this opening can be made very narrow byscrewing thereon a plate having a narrow slot in which the centerboardworks.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my improved centerboardpossesses certain advantages over those heretofore used, such as ease ofmanipulation, avoidance of pressure and wear on the trunk, and strengthof construotion. The weight of the strengtheningpieces tends to balancethe centerboard, and the strain on the hoisting apparatus is less and ismore uniform. The construction is safer, stronger, better placed, andexposes a larger surface below the vessel than the old type, and itpermits the more convenient use of centerboards, and especially metalcenterboards, with large vessels. The arrangement of the operatingdevices at the side of the trunk instead of in line therewith presentsan additional advantage in that it permits a central passage from cabinto gallery, &c., without the interference of a pipe for the centerboardpennant or rope.

While the form shown and described I regard as a convenient embodiment,it will be clear that the same is capable of many variations withoutexceeding the limits of my invention.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a centerboard of one or morestrengthening-pieces secured on the same at its pivoted end, whereby thecen terboard is to some extent balanced and a strong connection affordedwith the shaft on which the same is mounted, as set forth.

2. The combination with a centerboard of a segmental rack, on thepivoted or forward end, one or more flanged pinions meshing with saidrack and means for rotating said pinions, whereby the centerboard may beraised or lowered, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination with a centerboard, of a segmental rack, on thepivoted or forward end, one or more pinions meshing with said rack,gearing for causing said pinions to 1'0- tate and means for actuatingsaid gearing whereby the centerboard may be raised or lowered, as andfor the purposes set forth.

4. The combination with a centerboard of a segmental rack, one or morepinions meshing with said rack, bevel-gears on said pinions, bevel-gearsmeshing with the first-mentioned gears, and means for rotating thelastinentioned gears whereby the centerboard may be raised or lowered.

5. The combination with a centerboard, of a segmental rack, one or morepinions meshing with said rack, bevel-gears on said pinions, rotatableshafts bearing bevel-gears engaging the first-mentioned gears, and meansfor rotating said shafts, as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination with a centerboard, of a segmental rack, one or morepinions meshing with said rack, bevel-gears on said pinions, rotatableshafts bearing bevel-gears engaging the first-mentioned gears, andhandwheels on said shafts for rotating the same, as and-for the purposesset forth.

7. The combination with a centerboard, having a segmental rack, one ormore pinions meshing with said rack, and means for rotating said pinionswhereby the centerboard may be raised or lowered, of a grooved blockadjacent to said pinions receiving the segmental rack, as and for thepurposes set forth.

ANSON PHELPS STOKES.

Witnesses:

GEORGE CHAMBERLAIN, J OHN A. BLooM.

